written by John Foy
Last June, I visited one of the hottest areas of Italy (in temperature not fashion) and was cold most of the week.

Puglia, which is the heel of Italy's boot-shape, is one of the country's prime sources for olives, vegetables and wine. With thoughts of its Mediterranean climate and sun-filled days, I packed my summer shirts and light-weight pants, leaving jackets and umbrellas in the closet.

But after landing in Brandisi in southern Puglia, I discovered that the region has two climates: a cool north and a sunbaked south. I went north.

Rivera winery lies an hour north of Bari and is a major winery in the Castel del Monte appellation, named for the octagonal 13th-century castle built by the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II. Its eight towers with eight rooms on each floor is a splendid monument in the middle of nowhere--but as the Michelin Guide states "it's worth the journey" to this UNESCO World Heritage site.

Rivera was founded in 1948 by Sebastiano de Corato and produced its first wine two years later. Today the enterprise is directed by Sebastiano's son Carlo and grandsons Marco and Sebastiano; it encompasses 185 acres planted with indigenous grapes such as fiano, bombino, nero di troia and montepulciano, as well as the international varietals chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.

The cool north wind ripens the grapes slower than in the torrid southern section of Puglia, giving Rivera's wines an added measure of acidity and subtracting a degree or two of alcohol.

The 2013 Rivera Castel del Monte Preludio 1 Chardonnay is fermented and aged in stainless-steel temperature-controlled tanks, which captures the mineral content of the vineyard and releases it with chardonnay's pronounced pear and guava flavors of this perfectly balanced wine. It was an ideal match with my shrimp risotto.

In 1949, de Corato blended the local red grapes nero di troia and montepulciano. It took another two decades of working with these grapes before the family settled on a blend of 70 percent nero di troia and 30 percent montepulciano and named the wine Il Falcone.

The 2008 Il Falcone merges aromas of vanilla, black fruit and leather with an arch of delicious blackberry, red fruit and tobacco flavors riding on soft tannins to a long, fruit-filled finish. Its exquisite pairing with a grilled Berkshire pork chop made it easy to understand why Il Falcone is one of the leading red wines of Puglia.

After concluding my visit at Rivera, I had the chance to stop at the renowned Castel del Monte; but it was overcast, the wind was blowing and rain clouds were moving my way. The chilly air kept me in the car; we were headed south where my wardrobe fit the climate and the sun built brawny wines.

Allied Beverage Group in Carlstadt distributes the Rivera wines. The 2013 Rivera Castel del Monte Preludio 1 Chardonnay retails for about $14; the 2008 Il Falcone is approximately $30.

A Glass of Wine appears every week in Today. John Foy may be reached at.

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